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Coronavirus Australia update: Victoria reports 12 new cases as MP Adem Somyurek sacked – federal question time live Coronavirus Australia update: Victoria reports 12 new cases as MP Adem Somyurek sacked – federal question time live
(32 minutes later)
Victoria’s premier says minister accused of branch stacking was not given an opportunity to resign. Follow the latest updates liveVictoria’s premier says minister accused of branch stacking was not given an opportunity to resign. Follow the latest updates live
Joel Fitzgibbon to Scott Morrison:
My question is to the Prime Minister. The member for New England has called for a royal commission into the dairy sector because, he says, and I quote, “Those with markets power have utilised it at the expense of our dairy producers.” But the agriculture minister has rejected the call by the member for New England. Prime Minister - who is right?
David Littleproud gets the call up:
Each and every question time brings me closer to understanding why Nurse Ratchet was the way she was.
There is another question on a VC for Teddy Sheean – for Scott Morrison mostly, I think, because it really, really annoys him.
It is extremely 2GB and conservative areas, so it is pretty uncomfortable for Morrison to explain why Sheean hasn’t got a VC and what is being done about the review.
Chris Hayes to Scott Morrison:
Today is International Cleaners’ Day. Prime minister, why has the government deliberately excluded cleaning staff at aged care facilities for retention payment, which was given to other aged care workers during the coronavirus?
Greg Hunt gets the nod:
Anthony Albanese asks Scott Morrison another question on jobkeeper (when will people learn when it is to be cut off?) but there is no new information in the answer.
The session moves on to Greg Hunt using his “Trust me, I am a health minister” voice.
Ohhhhh – this is what Bob Katter was talking about.
It seems his office has decided to put out a statement to help explain the questions. Probably a good strategy.
It is also at this point that we need to point out that in March 1905 Bob Katter’s grandfather Carl Robert Katter signed a naturalisation form, saying he was born in Assyria (which would make C R Katter a migrant).
Katter’s statement:
Bob Katter used question time today to urge the government to use the coronavirus pandemic as a lever to permanently cutback visa levels.
Mr Katter said Australia was appalled at the branch stacking and perversion of democracy by newcomers from overseas, as seen on Channel 9’s 60 Minutes last night.
He said:
Mr Katter said we are bringing in people from countries with no democracy, (and or) no rule of law, (and or) no egalitarian traditions, (and or) no industrial awards, (and or) no Judaeo-Christian beliefs.
Discourse in this country really, really, really needs a clean up.
Keith Pitt is on his feet. He’s gone with two shades of blue in his tie, so you know he means business.
For completeness, we should mention what Victoria police and the state’s Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (Ibac) have said about the Adem Somyurek controversy.
A Victoria police spokesperson said:
Ibac confirmed it had received a referral from the Victorian attorney general “regarding serious allegations concerning the conduct of public officers” and the referral was “currently under consideration”.Both the police and Ibac said they could not provide any further details.
Earlier today, premier Daniel Andrews said the state’s attorney general had “referred the allegations aired on Channel 9’s 60 Minutes on Sunday 14 June and the articles published by The Age on 14 June 2020 to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission and to Victoria police for investigation”.
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:
(Karen Andrews was in between, but honestly, just send out a press release.)
Morrison:
Albanese asks about relevance. Morrison is told to come back to the point.
Morrison:
Jim Chalmers to Scott Morrison:Jim Chalmers to Scott Morrison:
Can the Prime Minister confirmed that few with Australians than accepted are receiving the wage subsidy while more Australians than expected have signed up for JobSeeker? Can the prime minister confirmed that fewer Australians than accepted are receiving the wage subsidy, while more Australians than expected have signed up for jobkeeker?
Morrison:Morrison:
Labor is torturing us all today. This is Michael McCormack’s third trip to the despatch box.Labor is torturing us all today. This is Michael McCormack’s third trip to the despatch box.
Terri Butler:Terri Butler:
McCormack:McCormack:
The answer goes on, but honestly, the three times I was in intensive care with pneumonia were less painful.The answer goes on, but honestly, the three times I was in intensive care with pneumonia were less painful.
Bob Katter starts yelling but Tony Smith hasn’t called him, so his microphone isn’t turned on. That does not cower Bob Katter, as it would take a thousand blooming crocodiles to stop Katter in his tracks, and even then, their reptilian brains would recognise the fruitlessness. And yet somehow still it is better than listening to Michael McCormack.Bob Katter starts yelling but Tony Smith hasn’t called him, so his microphone isn’t turned on. That does not cower Bob Katter, as it would take a thousand blooming crocodiles to stop Katter in his tracks, and even then, their reptilian brains would recognise the fruitlessness. And yet somehow still it is better than listening to Michael McCormack.
It seems the racket is something about relevance.It seems the racket is something about relevance.
Smith tells Katter it would be impossible for the prime minister not to be relevant, given the question.Smith tells Katter it would be impossible for the prime minister not to be relevant, given the question.
It ends on this:It ends on this:
Scott Morrison:Scott Morrison:
Bob Katter:Bob Katter:
It’s so bad, the House welcomes Bob Katter coming to his feet.It’s so bad, the House welcomes Bob Katter coming to his feet.
Michael McCormack is giving a stirring rendition of someone unable to find his cheeks with both hands in his backpockets.Michael McCormack is giving a stirring rendition of someone unable to find his cheeks with both hands in his backpockets.
Asked about roads by Catherine King, he starts talking about airports.Asked about roads by Catherine King, he starts talking about airports.
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:
The Reserve Bank governor has called for infrastructure spending to be fast-tracked to support Australian jobs at least 11 times since the 2019 election. Why has it taken a pandemic for this seven-year-old government [to see] the to bring forward infrastructure investment?The Reserve Bank governor has called for infrastructure spending to be fast-tracked to support Australian jobs at least 11 times since the 2019 election. Why has it taken a pandemic for this seven-year-old government [to see] the to bring forward infrastructure investment?
Morrison:Morrison:
The speaker tells him to sit, because it is not on relevantThe speaker tells him to sit, because it is not on relevant
Morrison:Morrison:
After being pulled up by Tony Smith again, Morrison decides he has concluded his answer.After being pulled up by Tony Smith again, Morrison decides he has concluded his answer.
The first question is on what is being done for Karm Gilespie, the Australian who has been sentenced to death in China.
Scott Morrison:
This has been bubbling away
The ALP national executive has released a statement:
The national executive committee of the Australian Labor party met this afternoon to consider the request by the Victorian Labor leader, premier Daniel Andrews, to expel Mr Adem Somyurek from the ALP.
The conduct of Mr Somyurek is reprehensible and at odds with everything the ALP stands for.
Noting that Mr Somyurek has now resigned his membership of the Victorian ALP, the national executive committee has taken further steps to ensure that there will never be a place for Mr Somyurek in the ALP ever again.
The ALP national executive takes these matters incredibly seriously, and will be responding to the wider issues raised over the last 24 hours in the coming days.
Further to those environmental regulation changes the government wants to make is this story from AAP:
Environmental approvals for major projects should take 30 days to complete, prime minister Scott Morrison believes.
Approvals under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act took 90 days on average at the end of last year and take 40 days now.
Morrison has set a 30-day target in the hope it’s achieved by the end of the year.
He told an economic forum in Canberra on Monday:
Environmental assessments occur before it’s decided if approval is given.
The assessment time currently takes three-and-a-half years on average, which the government wants to reduce to 21 months.
EPBC Act approvals are currently in addition to any state or local council processes.
But Morrison wants to streamline the approvals into one, which will be discussed by national cabinet.
It’s the downhill slide to question time, so take these moments to grab yourself the security blanket of your choice.
In lieu of 20 cats, I shall get another coffee. It will most likely be unadulterated. Most likely.
Universities Australia has released its guide for a return to face-to-face teaching.
You’ll find that here.
The recommendations that led to this bill – which ends the dual regulation lawyers who give immigration advice were required to have (they had to be registered in both their jurisdiction and the Migration Agents Registration Authority) – was made when Scott Morrison was immigration minister, coining “on water matters”.
The bill had bipartisan support. It was just not a priority.
Hence this shade:
Earlier this morning we published revelations that three cabinet ministers, Stuart Robert, Dan Tehan and Simon Birmingham, charged taxpayers $4,500 to travel to Sydney on an overnight trip during which they went to a lucrative Liberal party fundraiser held at Channel Nine’s Willoughby studios.
The fundraiser was a big earner for the Liberals, charging $10,000 per head and bringing in an estimated $700,000. The three ministers claim they happened to be in Sydney that night for other, legitimate official business, which justified them billing taxpayers for the trip.
But all three have steadfastly refused to say whether they received invitations to the fundraiser first, and later booked official business in the hours around it.
That’s an important point.
The rules state that, to claim travel expenses, the dominant purpose of a trip must have been to conduct parliamentary business.
Party fundraising, of course, is not parliamentary business.
Tehan was on ABC radio this morning and was asked again what came first: the fundraiser invitation or the booking of the parliamentary business. He again skirted around it.
Tehan:
Kelly: “Yes, but did you add those to justify travelling to Sydney for the fundraiser?”Tehan:
Sarah Hanson-Young says the government’s focus on “deregulation” will result in worse outcomes for the environment:
A spokesperson for federal Labor MP Anthony Byrne says he welcomes and will fully cooperate with any investigation by Victoria police relating to the Adem Somyurek matter.
As Amy mentioned earlier, Anthony Albanese was asked at the press conference whether or not he had spoken to Byrne and whether or not any recordings took place in Byrne’s office. Albanese told reporters he was not aware of all of the details.
The reason for these questions is that one of the scenes from apparent surveillance footage broadcast by 60 Minutes last night show a group of people meeting in a room that had a map of the electorate of Holt on the wall. That’s the Victorian electorate Byrne represents.
In another scene broadcast by 60 Minutes, a sign marked “Anthony Byrne MP” could be seen in the background. We have contacted Byrne’s office about the matter.
Mr Byrne’s spokesperson would not comment, except to say the MP welcomed the investigation by Victoria police and would “fully cooperate” with it, telling Guardian Australia:
Byrne is the deputy chair of the joint parliamentary committee on intelligence and security.